Expression of Active Human Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator in Escherichia coli

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe formation of native disulfide bonds in complex eukaryotic proteins expressed inEscherichia coliis extremely inefficient. Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a very important thrombolytic agent with 17 disulfides, and despite numerous attempts, its expression in an active form in bacteria has not been reported. To achieve the production of active tPA inE. coli, we have investigated the effect of cooverexpressing native (DsbA and DsbC) or heterologous (rat and yeast protein disulfide isomerases) cysteine oxidoreductases in the bacterial periplasm. Coexpression of DsbC, an enzyme which catalyzes disulfide bond isomerization in the periplasm, was found to dramatically increase the formation of active tPA both in shake flasks and in fermentors. The active protein was purified with an overall yield of 25% by using three affinity steps with, in sequence, lysine-Sepharose, immobilizedErythrina caffrainhibitor, and Zn-Sepharose resins. After purification, approximately 180 μg of tPA with a specific activity nearly identical to that of the authentic protein can be obtained per liter of culture in a high-cell-density fermentation. Thus, heterologous proteins as complex as tPA may be produced in an active form in bacteria in amounts suitable for structure-function studies. In addition, these results suggest the feasibility of commercial production of extremely complex proteins inE. coliwithout the need for in vitro refolding.